


Getting Old

by miera



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-11
Updated: 2012-05-11
Packaged: 2017-11-05 03:59:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/402209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miera/pseuds/miera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John realizes something that makes him feel old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting Old

Although there are plenty of other signs informing him of the facts, it's letting Elizabeth sleep that makes John feel like he's getting old.

It's one of the rare nights they're just hanging out together for a while, sprawled in bed and watching a movie on his laptop. The city is in a post-crisis lull and Carson is still nagging Elizabeth about not overtaxing herself after the nasty cut on her leg had cost her quite a bit of blood.

They weren't even to her favorite line in _Casablanca_ and she was totally zonked, her head on his chest and one hand holding onto his shirt even asleep.

He considers waking her up for the scene where Victor gets the band to play _La Marseillaise_ , but decides anyone who can recite half of the movie from memory can survive without seeing it again and she probably needs the sleep more.

Then it occurs to him that even a year ago, if they'd gotten an evening of free time, they wouldn't have opted for anything as passive as watching a movie.

A year ago, of course, he had still nominally had separate quarters, although he rarely slept a full night in his bed alone. A year ago, every off-duty hour they spent together had still felt furtive and stolen, even if their relationship had been the biggest open secret in Atlantis. Sitting around watching a movie - something they could've done in public, minus the cuddling - would have felt like a waste of an opportunity.

Now he was where he was supposed to be, and nobody would blink at coming to the door and finding Elizabeth asleep in bed with him. Now he didn't feel that compulsion to fill every private moment with proof that yes, she really was okay with him touching her like that to remind him this wasn't a fantasy or a short-term indulgence. Elizabeth letting her guard down enough to fall asleep in his arms was pretty much all the proof he needed of that, really.

Which seemed like such a mature, rational thought that John actually made a face at himself. He was getting old, turning into a responsible adult who was "in a relationship."

And starting to have issues with his knees, which meant he couldn't stay in this position indefinitely. Gently he shifted Elizabeth over so that she was lying down on her own pillow. She stirred but didn't wake up completely. He covered her with a blanket and glanced at the clock. He'd be adult and generous and let her sleep now.

Which meant he could set the alarm an hour earlier. Because he was still young enough to enjoy the prospect of good morning sex.


End file.
